Milwaukee Repertory Theater, founded by Mary Widrig John in 1954, as the Fred Miller Theatre Company, is now located on the east bank of the Milwaukee River in the Patty and Jay Baker Theater Complex at 108 E Wells St, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is home to an eleven member Resident Acting Company. The name change in the late '50s reflected the theater's growing emphasis on a broad selection of classics and contemporary plays and its commitment to nurturing a resident acting company. The current power plant-converted location, houses 720-seat Quadracci Powerhouse Theater, the 218-seat Stiemke Theater, and the 118-seat Stackner Cabaret.
Milwaukee Repertory Theater has twice relocated to larger quarters. In 1968, it moved from its original Oakland Ave space to the Todd Wehr Theater at the Performing Art Center in downtown Milwaukee. In 1974, it converted a small warehouse and opened the experimental Court Street Theater, which served as a laboratory for creative exploration and a testing ground for new playwrights. In 1987 Milwaukee Repertory Theater moved to its current location and closed its Court Street operations.
Milwaukee Repertory Theater is dedicated to presenting new playwrights, reliving classics, and commissioning the translations of classic and contemporary foreign playwrights. It has mounted a production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol at the historic Pabst Theater each Christmas season since 1976. In 2004, Milwaukee Repertory Theater received a creativity grant of $35,000 from National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), to finance its production of A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, as part of the theater’s 50th anniversary.
The mission of Milwaukee Repertory Theater is to explore the human condition in theater productions which speak to the cultural life of the community and which advance the role of theater as means of expressing the core values of that community. The Rep maintains a wide variety of programs to serve the community. Education programs serve over 10,000 students annually, offering student matinees, facility tours, and a variety of residencies and in-school workshops. The Rep also generously contributes complimentary tickets to Milwaukee area non-profit fundraisers. The Rep also sponsors adult acting classes, public lectures and discussions, pre-show “The Rep InDepth” presentations in the Quadracci Powerhouse and Stiemke Theaters, and audience talkbacks. Additional patron features include “pay-what-you-can” performances, babysitter rebates, audio described performances, American Sign Language-interpreted performances, captioned performances and numerous special events including Opening Night parties and Entourage events. Entourage is a program that helps to introduce theater to a younger audience. The Friends of The Rep are Milwaukee Rep’s official volunteer organization.
Currently, The Rep supports a Resident Acting Company of 10 members whose work in large and small roles helps assure strong productions throughout the season. The Rep is also home to one of the oldest internship programs in regional theater. Each season The Rep welcomes 15 acting, directing, and literary interns who join the company full time in order to gain valuable experience in professional theater.
The 2009/2010 season marks Joseph Hanreddy's final season after 17 seasons as Artistic Director. His adaptation of George M. Cohan's Seven Keys to Baldpate will close the season.